I lO 



NATURE 



[May 29, 1890 



tions may bring about a lethargic state, in which respiration 

 and accompanying phenomena are almost or entirely suspended 

 through the complete exclusion of air (a hermetic sealing) by 

 the iiibbing, oiling, varnishing, or other polishing which the 

 furniture has undergone. As an instance of prolonged vitality, 

 he quotes an extract from the third Report on the insects of 

 New York, by Dr. Fitch. In this passage Dr. Fitch says : — 

 "In 1786, a son of General Israel Putnam, residing in Wil- 

 liamstown, Mass., had a table made from one of his app'e-trees. 

 Many years afterwards the gnawing of an insect was heard in 

 one of the leaves of this table, which noise continued for a year 

 or two, when a large, long-horned beetle made its exit therefrom. 

 Subsequently, the same noise was heard again, and another 

 insect, and afterwards a third, all of the same kind, issued from 

 this table-leaf— the first one coming out twenty, and the last one 

 twenty-eight, years after the tree was cut down." The evidence 

 before Dr. Fitch convinced him that the insect was the longicorn 

 beetle Cerasphorus balteattis, now krown as Chion cinctiis 

 (Drury). 



The American Naturalist quotes from the Salem Register 

 an extract from which it seems that the museum of the Peabody 

 Academy of Science of Salem, Mass., has lately been enriched 

 by a fine collection of objects illustrating the art and ethnology 

 of Japan. This has been formed by Prof. Edward S. Morse, 

 who some time ago spent several months in Japan. The cata- 

 logue of Japanese accessions enumerates 691 specimens, the 

 most conspicuous objects being life-sized figures, representing 

 different classes of the community. These models were all 

 made for the museum, and are the best that have ever been 

 brought to America. The collection also includes many fine 

 old swords, sets of tools, and pictures illustrating various trades 

 and professions. 



Some curious electrical phenomena were lately observed 

 (according to a writer in the Chetnische Zeitung) in a stearin and 

 ceresin manufactory in Italy. One evening four vats of white 

 ceresin (which is a paraffin got from ozokerit), containing about 

 500 kg. each, were being stirred to cool. When the point of 

 solidification was nearly reached, the electric light of the place 

 accidentally went out ; and, to the surprise and alarm of the 

 rather ignorant workmen, the mass of ceresin was observed to 

 give pale sparks on the slightest motion. If the hand was brought 

 near, loud sparks nearly two inches long were obtained. The 

 phenomenon lasted over half an hour. 



A VALUABLE collection of Tibetan medical works and drugs 

 has been brought by M. Ptitsyn from Transbaikalia. He has 

 also collected most interesting information as to the courses 

 of study at the Buddhist lamas' University at the Gusinoie Ozero 

 Monastery in Transbaikalia. The curriculum lasts ten years, the 

 first four of which are devoted to the study of the Tibetan and 

 Mongol languages, to religious service, and to practice in draw- 

 ing and various handicrafts. The next three years are given to 

 medicine. During the first of these three years the pupils learn by 

 heart the five volumes of the chief Tibetan hand-books of medicine, 

 and the names of the drugs. The next two years are given to 

 the study of therapeutics and surgery. The students also visit 

 the Urga High School to follow the courses of the more re- 

 nowned Tibet lamas, who come to Urga on purpose. The 

 eighth year is given to astronomy and astrology, and the last 

 two to philosophy and theology. Medicine is studied only by 

 those who wish to devote themselves to the medical profession, 

 and the courses of astronomy, astrology, philosophy, and 

 theology are followed only by the best pupils. The chief 

 (printed) medical work of Tibet is the " Rodijachava," or " The 

 Tale of the Curkhan Otochi (god of Medicine) about what 

 formerly was," a copy of which was secured by M. Ptitsyn. 

 The Tibet medical authorities recognize loi fundamental 

 NO. 1074, VOL. 42] 



diseases, and M. Ptitsyn gives the names of 429 elements of 

 drugs used by the Buddhist physicians. He notices that of the 101 

 diseases only two (paralysis and a kind of influence of the 

 planets) are attributed to a mythical origin, and that of the 429 

 drugs only three have a similar origin (the bones of a dragon, 

 the horns and the skin of the unicorn). The remainder are 

 chiefly herbs, seeds, fruits, roots, and flowers, and partly mineral 

 matters. They are all bought in Chinese drug-shops, except 

 quinine, which is bought in Russia. M. Ptitsyn was allowed to- 

 visit one of the drug-shops, and found all drugs kept in order in 

 separate drawers. He has brought to St. Petersburg samples of 

 202 different drugs, which will be analyzed at the Medical 

 Academy. 



Some sea-urchins are known to live in cavities in rock. And 

 the diameter of the cavity is often wider than that of the en- 

 trance, so that the animal could not leave its home or be taken 

 out without injury. On the French coast of Croisic (Lower 

 Loire) may be seen thousands of urchins thus ensconced in the 

 granite rock, which is rich in felspar and quartz. The animals, 

 it is not doubted, make and widen the holes for themselves ; 

 but the question how has not been satisfactorily answered. 

 Chemical solution of the rock seems excluded, considering both 

 the nature of the latter, and also that no acid which could be 

 thus used has been proved to exist in the urchin. The matter 

 has been studied lately by M. John, and in an inaugural disserta- 

 tion {Arch. f. Nalurges.) he explains the efTects by mechanical 

 action. With the so-called " lantern of Aristotle " the animal 

 probably bites the rock ; the sucker feet are also attached, and a 

 rotatory motion is imparted to the body, the prickle points, with 

 the lantern, gradually wearing down the surface. These cavities 

 afford a shelter to the urchins against the action of the waves. 

 An attempt is made to conceal them by means of mussel and 

 other shells. The rocks in which the cavities occur are 

 in general thickly covered with calcareous Algae. It has been 

 thought that possibly these decompose the rock, and so 

 facilitate the work of the urchins. M. John, however, finds no 

 such chemical relation, but atmospheric agencies, he considers, 

 may help the work of boring. A number of other animals are 

 known to penetrate rock, and it is supposed that they do it also 

 in a mechanical way. Recently, M. Forel described to the 

 Vaudois Society of Natural Sciences how in the hard limestone 

 of Constantine, Algiers, Helix aspera was found in holes 4 to 5 

 inches in depth. 



It has been hitherto impossible, by the most careful and 

 subtle methods, to produce absolutely pure water. Such water, 

 it is thought, would have no conductivity for the galvanic current ; 

 but, as a matter of fact, there is always a measurable con- 

 ductivity, which, in glass- vessels e.g., gradually grows from day 

 to day, through glass being dissolved. It has been lately ob- 

 served by Herr Pfeiffer ( IVied. Ann.) that water purified as much 

 as possible, and standing only a short time in c )ntact with the 

 air, showed next day a continuous decrease of conductivity, 

 which gradually disappeared, giving place to the normal un- 

 avoidable increase. After testing various explanations of this by 

 experiment, he came to the conclusion that the true explanation 

 is micro-organisms coming into the water, and absorbing the con- 

 ducting substances present. On this assumption such organisms 

 would appear to have an almost absolute power of absorption, 

 something like that of sulphuric acid for water- vapour. 



Mr. L. Upcott Gill has issued the first part of a volume 

 entitled "British Cage Birds," by Mr. R. L. Wallace. The 

 work will be completed in 15 parts, and will contain directions 

 for breeding, rearing, and managing the various British birds 

 that can be kept in confinement. Mr. Gill has published also 

 the first part of " The Canary Book," by the same author. 

 Both works are illustrated with coloured plates and wood-en- 

 gravings. 



